


Frostbitten

by orphan_account



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Gen, Guilt, Major Character Injury, Manipulation, Regret, lying, uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 05:54:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10507623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sam's heart is frozen when Nathan's broken body paints the snow red.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sam and Nathan's adventure is suddenly halted.
> 
> Inspired by Sam and Sully's conversation when Nathan leaves the room and the trip to Scotland that follows.
> 
> Listened to "The Brothers Drake" and "For Better Or Worse" from the fourth game's soundtrack while writing.

Later Sam would wonder what he was thinking when he used a fabricated threat of impending doom to lure his brother out of a comfortable life with his loving other half. He would question his motivations and intentions towards Nathan for the first time.

Sam was never the best influence his little brother could have, but when they were young he felt more of a need to keep a watchful eye out for Nathan. Something in Sam changed after his years in prison. He had been telling himself that it was a zest for life and adventure, an itch he couldn't scratch that grew until he found what he was looking for. That was why he had no difficulty telling a white lie to convince his brother to join him. There was no time to waste with hesitation or caution. That was why he wasn't worried for Nathan. He needed Nathan, and Nathan would _thank_ him when all was said and done. That was why things went so far, and why they were sneaking and stealing and killing without a second thought. Why he shrugged and laughed through every one of Nathan's close calls.

That wasn't why.

Later Sam would stop lying to himself and accept that he knew all this time that Nathan wasn't invincible but _he didn't care_. That small risk of something happening didn't compare to the delicious reward of finally achieving what they were destined to. Whether it was playing with Nathan's emotions or gambling Nathan's life _it didn't matter_ because they weren't going to fail in the end. It wasn't an option.

So later Sam would admit that he did what he did because deep down he still resented Nathan for escaping that infernal place without him and that meant that Nathan owed him this, no matter how high the stakes. But by the time that he did it would be too late.

Because nothing could change the fact that Nathan broke his neck in Scotland and Sam had left him to die.

And even though nothing could change the fact that Sam really, truly did love his brother, and always will, that didn't stop him from taking advantage of Nathan in the first place, and it wouldn't rewind time so Sam could unravel his mistakes, shed his guilt, and begin again.

When it happened Sam knew that his brother was dead and he ran. He tripped in the snow and felt so numb for reasons entirely unrelated to the cold. Of course Sullivan would eventually check in, and Sam spent far too long unable to find his voice while the old man's staticky shouting conveyed concern through a speaker even though Sam hadn't opened his mouth yet to give him the reason to be concerned.

Later Sam would wonder why it took him so long to go back.

Trudging back the way he came, Sam didn't feel anything. When he saw Nathan's body on the ground, cradled by the snow, he tried not to remember the sound of his little brother's neck snapping because he felt as if he might as well have done it with his own two hands.

Just a little bit later he would use his hands to hold Nathan's own and whisper, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" even though Nathan wouldn't be able to hear him.

Snowflakes settled on Nathan's eyelashes and he looked like he could have been sleeping. Aside from the bit of blood dripping from his mouth onto the white ground. When Sam made to gently wipe it away with a thumb he felt it. Nathan was still breathing, faintly.

Later Sam would stew on all of his growing guilt, wondering how he could have left his brother dying alone, even if unintentional. Just because it happened to him didn't mean that Nathan deserved the same fate. Sam never wanted to see that come to pass despite carelessly leaving it on the table the closer they got to the treasure.

And Sam would pray that the man laying silently next to him would one day forgive him even though they were all pretty sure Nathan wasn't going to make it through the night.

 

(Later still, but in another life, Rafe Adler would ask Sam, "You lied to your baby brother?" But it wouldn't matter what Sam or Nathan said afterwards because they would both manage a happily ever after for themselves in the end. 

This is not that life.)


End file.
